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When you think of summer, a lot of exciting things may come to mind. Vacation time, trips to the beach, summer-dress weather, and of course Anime Expo. Anime Expo is held annually in Los Angeles, California and is typically in July for four days. Never heard of the it? Well the 49,000 people that attend definitely have.

When I think of Anime Expo, one of the first things that come to mind is the impressive cosplay. These fans will literally spend months perfecting the look of their favorite anime character. In honor of Anime Expo, it felt fitting to hunt down impressive Anime cosplayers and show off their work and dedication. Instead, I stumbled upon two women who I didn’t expect. These girls do not merely try to imitate anime characters for four days of a convention- they do this all the time.

20-year old Katie Lawrence claims that she is such a fan of Japanese culture, video games, and anime that she decided to spend her time becoming one. Lawrence spends three hours to perfect her look and about $300 on make-up each month.

Lawrence also has facial piercings to try and distinguish herself from other females who try to achieve the look of an anime character. She states that she doesn’t mind the stares or the fact that she looks so different from others. Her mother has always embraced her sense of individuality and that’s all that really matters. Lawrence has discussed possibly getting surgery to have elf-like ears.

And then theres Anastasiya Shpagina. This bright-haired girl also spends hours daily in an effort to look like she just walked out of an anime. The online sensation stands at 5’2″ and weighs 85 lbs. She claims that she can spend an entire half hour putting make-up on just one eye. Apparently, make-up isn’t enough. Shpagina has plans to have surgery to make her eyes look even bigger.

Audrey Magazine is an award-winning national publication that covers the Asian experience from the perspective of Asian American women. Audrey covers the latest talent and trends in entertainment, fashion, beauty and lifestyle.